NYSTCE Agriculture CST case studies

NYSTCE Agriculture CST · Put your knowledge to work in context.

The NYSTCE Agriculture Content Specialty Test is New York State's subject-matter certification exam for prospective agriculture teachers, listed in the Content Specialty Tests table as test code 068. It is one of the Content Specialty Tests in the NYSTCE program, which the New York State Education Department uses for educator certification; candidates should confirm with their certification program which tests their certificate requires, since the state notes that testing requirements depend on certification type. The NYSTCE Agriculture CST case studies are 5 cases and about 3,980 words.

Winter Feeding Decisions in a Mid-Gestation Beef Herd

A 58-head commercial beef herd in western New York is in mid-gestation in late January, with calving due to begin March 20. Cows average 1,180 lb and score body condition 5.

788 words, about 4 min 2

Lime, Phosphorus, and a Trout Stream: Allocating a Tight Fertility Budget

A 42-acre no-till field on a 4% slope drains through a 35-foot vegetated buffer into a trout stream. The field will go to corn in spring following a 52 bu/acre soybean crop.

806 words, about 4 min 3

Thrips, Resistance, and a Retail Contract in the Poinsettia House

A greenhouse range ships 4,200 poinsettias to a regional big-box retailer on December 1. It is now nine weeks before ship date, plants are in the final spacing and pinch stage, and blue sticky-card counts average 45 western flower thrips per card per week in blocks 3 and 4, with visible bract and leaf scarring on roughly 15% of the plants in those blocks.

812 words, about 4 min 4

CSA or Food Hub: Allocating 2,600 Hours on a 14-Acre Vegetable Farm

Two full-time farmers work 14 acres of certified organic vegetables with one seasonal crew, giving them 2,600 total labor hours across owners and crew. For next season they are weighing two channels.

778 words, about 4 min 5

Custom Baling versus Buying a Used Round Baler

A one-person hay and beef operation harvests 85 acres of grass-legume hay in two cuttings, putting up about 700 4x5 round bales per year for a 60-cow herd and some sales. The owner also works off-farm three days a week and currently hires a custom operator who charges 14 per bale including hauling from the field.

796 words, about 4 min